GARDENS OF THE GOLDEN CITY

The 50 ha Melville Koppies Nature Reserve and Joburg Heritage Site is a scenic garden along natural paths that meander through grasslands, forests, rocky ridges, an arboretum with towering trees and the Westdene Spruit. This natural mosaic can be found in the ‘garden’ of Melville Koppies Nature Reserve, just 5km from the city centre. It will be open on the last weekend of October 2022 as a part of the Gardens of the Golden City programme.

October is a beautiful month on the koppies, with the fragrance of Acacia flowers (Senegalese robusta and Vachelia caffra) permeating the air and geophytic (underground bulbs) flowers peeking out in the burnt grasslands. The mauve-flowering Bobbejaanstert (Xerophyhta retinervis) are in bloom and early spring grasses are slowly greening up.

This ‘garden’ has the added bonus of three billion-year old quartzite ridges. Although the rocks slowly weather to thin acidic soils, indigenous plants such as Mountain Silver Oak (Brachylaena rotundata), Wild Apricot (Ancylobotrys capensis), Stamvrug (Englerophytum magalismontanum) and the underground tree, Parinari capensis thrive here, given the added protection from fire by the rocky ridges.

Vegetation from rock formations has been cleared so that people can appreciate their majesty, and overhanging branches on paths are cut back for the safety of visitors. Erosion control measures have been made on paths with gradients. Discreet numbers on recycled kerbstones are placed where trails intersect and visitors are given maps with the paths and numbers so they don’t get lost.

The open days will include Lynne Maree’s succulent garden which borders on the Melville Koppies. Further details available from Wendy Carstens 079 532 0083.

www.mk.org.za